AQ. Chapter 10

Robby Treadwell

2/6/13

Period 4

Chapter 10

Summary: Paul, Kropp, Muller, Detering, Kat, and Tjaden are on a mission guard a supply dump, but when they go to kick up a dinner the enemies see the smoke and bomb the house. Luckily the boys make it back to the dugout safely. Paul and Kropp get injured by falling shells. Kropp's leg is amputated and Paul is sent home to heal.

Quotation: "My mother does not want to let me go away. She is feeble. It is all much worse than it was last time... Parting away from my friend Albert Kropp was very hard. But a man gets used to that sort of thing in the army." (269)

Quotation Significance: This is a sad quote to read because Paul has to say bye to his mom again but she is much sicker and he knows he might not see her again. Then we find out that Paul has gotten used to saying bye to friends because the war is so brutal and you get used to that kind of stuff. 

Reflection: This chapter was very long in page count but it was easy for me to read due to the excitement throughout the chapter. Paul and the other boys seem to be living the life in that dugout with all the mattresses and food that they make. I thought it was funny how when they were being bombed Paul continued cooking the pancakes until it was full, then he ran to the dugout not dropping one! It is sad to read about Kropp losing his leg, and even more sad to read about how it is hard for Paul to say bye to his mom once again because she is even more sick than she was the last time Paul saw her. Hopefully Paul can find a way to stay at home with his mom until she recovers then he can go back to war and be more involved in it. 

Discussion Question: Do you think Kropp would have killed himself if there wasn't anyone in the room with him?